Federer keeps abreast of technological advances
By Ashling O'Connor
There is a new weapon in the world No 1’s armoury

ROGER FEDERER’S game is already considered beautiful to behold. So it may come as a surprise that the world No 1 has had cosmetic surgery on his racket. When Federer, the Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, steps on court at Roland Garros this week in his bid for the French Open title, it will be with an injection of silicone implants in his graphite frame.
The 22-year-old from Switzerland hopes that the “molecular nanotechnology” will give him the edge he lacks on clay. In the past two years Federer has not made it past the first round of the French Open and this year’s draw potentially pits him against Gustavo Kuerten, the three-times winner, in the third round.

The revolutionary new technology developed over the past two years by Amer Sports, the company that owns the Wilson brand, involves the injection of silicone oxide crystals into the microscopic air pockets between the graphite fibres in an ordinary tennis racket. The result is twice the strength and twice the stability. Wilson claims that the racket is 22 per cent more powerful than carbon fibre.

“The racket is stiffer and more powerful. It’s more controllable because the silicone can be placed in certain spots,” Roger Talermo, chief executive of Amer Sports, said.

Federer has been practising with the new nCode Six One Tour racket — branded in his red and white national colours — for two months. It is his first change in model for six years. “He is completely happy,” Talermo said. “The top players are so picky, he would not put it in his hands if he was not 100 per cent confident.” Amer Sports, which also makes Atomic skis and Precor fitness machines, is the first tennis racket manufacturer to apply nanotechnology to its products. It initially injected silicone, best known for its use in breast implants, into its Double Core tennis balls, giving them durability beyond the standard set and a half of play. The technology has been used to improve ski wax and is being developed in the aerospace industry.

The company hopes that all its tennis players, including the Williams sisters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, the No 1-ranked female player, will be serving with silicone by the US Open in August. More than a third of tour professionals play with Wilson rackets. The racket will retail for £150.

the injection of silicone oxide crystals into the microscopic air pockets between the graphite fibres in an ordinary tennis racket.

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Fischer vacuum technic racquets don't have microscopic air pockets because the vacuum technic manufacturing process eliminates them. That's why Fischer technic racquets feel soooooo good because there are no randomly dispersed internal air pockets to create internal stress, which may cause uneven responses at different points along the racquet frame and between frames.

Well, it sounds like a press release to me. Press Releases are not exactly hard news, but promotional announcements from an agent/representative/firm/whatever. Otherwise known as another form of advertisement.

That aside, it was interesting for them to note that "Federer hasn't changed his racquet in 6 years."

irishbanger.... sigh...lol...sigh... tee hee... As much as I like Henin-Hardenne's game, really wish she'd choose a different sports bra or whatever when she plays. She doesn't have to look busty, but she shouldn't look like she's got some weird deformed plates on her chest either. But the new color scheme of Adidas at least helped out (as much as I don't like their designs so far this year, almost thought players had switched to Fila for awhile).

I thought Wilson's claim for the nCode was that the nanotechnology made the frame stronger and more durable WITHOUT making it any stiffer, thereby, maintaining its great feel. I don't know if people want a racquet that's even stiffer than the Tour 90.

As heavy as the thing is, I thought the Tour 90 had a smooth and soft "hot-knife slicing through butter" feel when I hit with it...

Some of the Hyper Hammers I've used though... now those were stiff....

But back to the ad... Yeah, I don't think stiffer is appealing anymore (as opposed to two-three years ago for whatever reason). Don't know why they'd want to mention that, especially along with silicone (which would imply something not stiff I would think) and nanotechnology (also imply something dynamic, hence not stiff necessarily)...

Then again, when someone says the silicone can be placed in certain spots without really specifying anything... it just sounds weird, almost implying random placement or the obvious: "Marketing guy doesn't know squat." At least Head tries to promote their liquid metal as being strategically placed (whether or not that sells you)...

May be real after all. Perhaps that was why we saw Federer with 2 different racquets during practice, so that he can go back to his trusty Tour 90s if things go wrong. If this is in fact true then it certainly is brave (hopefully not foolhardy) of Roger to switch for such a big event.